Road Trippin' USA 2012

[rvmason]

Mike,
I thought I might put some perspective on your trip. When I did the Four Corners some years ago, I visited Ca, WA, ME, and FL. 10,000 Mi in 21 days. That is I averaged 800 KM a day for 21 days. The distances in the US are much greater than in Europe. Also, one piece od advice! Motorcycles in the US are viewed as toys, not real modes of transportation. American drivers don't see them. Not trying to frighten you, just a word of caution. Ride like every driver is figuring out a way to run you over!!

[Mike_Philippens]

When I did the Four Corners some years ago, I visited Ca, WA, ME, and FL. 10,000 Mi in 21 days. That is I averaged 800 KM a day for 21 days.

That's why I put the (global) route in Mapsource so I could measure the approximate length. This is about 12,500mi (+/- 20.000km). Spread out over 90 days is doable. A fellow Dutchman did about the same distance in the same time. Obviously, I have to check now and then if I'm still on 'schedule' albeit that I don't want to make a tight schedule. But when I see that I'm in trouble, I can cut off and do a 2 day stretch on the interstate. I can do 1000km a day if conditions and traffic permits on interstates.

The distances in the US are much greater than in Europe. Also, one piece od advice! Motorcycles in the US are viewed as toys, not real modes of transportation. American drivers don't see them. Not trying to frighten you, just a word of caution. Ride like every driver is figuring out a way to run you over!!

Thanks for your insight. All tips are appreciated and taken into consideration. I heard warnings like yours from others, so I will take care.

[Earache]

...Thanks for your insight. All tips are appreciated and taken into consideration. I heard warnings like yours from others, so I will take care.

And while we're scaring people; Mike - you should become familiar with tornado weather jargon such as "tornado watch" and " tornado warning" so you'll know the difference and what to do in the event of some nasty weather.

You most likely will have no problems at all, but since you're going to pass through the widwest it's better to safe than sorry.

see: http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/7t.html for some maps of nasty areas during the Spring / early Summer

[Mike_Philippens]

And while we're scaring people; Mike - you should become familiar with tornado weather jargon such as "tornado watch" and " tornado warning" so you'll know the difference and what to do in the event of some nasty weather.

When I was in the US in 2000, I was in Pensacolo (on the way to New Orleans) and when we checked into the motel, I turned on the Weather Channel because the sky was looking a bit grey. We got a bit of a scare because there was a hurrican (or was it tornado?) alert and they were telling where the shelters were and so on... In the end it was not that bad, but it was a good storm. I wouldn't want to be caught in one while on the bike somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

It's one thing I'll pay attention to when planning the route.

[PhilR807]

My recommendation is to plan some local rally stops along the way and meet the like minded BMW riders. Maybe even the national rally will be close by. You will get lots of local travel tips. Personally I would skip Texas. Long, flat, and did I mention long and flat? Go through KY, TN, AR, and MO on your way to/from AZ.

[Mike_Philippens]

Personally I would skip Texas. Long, flat, and did I mention long and flat?

I don't agree... I read some very nice ride reports from Big Bend and that's the thing I like. It's not only hills that make riding interesting. There should be more than enough twisty roads in Texas.

I'll make sure to check on the rallies when I know for sure what period I'm coming over. It's something I had in mind, a very good tip! I also want to check on other events too, like rock concerts, festivals and hopefully a Nascar/Indy race. I'm a big racefan and if I get the chance, I'll go to a race. A couple of years ago, Indy came to Europe and I did the race in Belgium as a photographer and went to the Assen (Holland) race with my nephew. But it's better to see in the US, in an oval ofcourse!

[PhilR807]

Indianapolis 500 last weekend in May is the pinnacle of Indy racing. And it is a big party and you can camp.

[Earache]

Indianapolis 500 last weekend in May is the pinnacle of Indy racing. And it is a big party and you can camp.

Or stay at my place

[rocketman]

Mike, if you are going to be near Albuquerque, that's not that far from the Grand Canyon. I would think that it would be worth seeing. Going there myself in the spring, so later this year I could be more emphatic about whether or not seeing that landmark would be worth the detour.

I concur, and then you are close to the Painted Desert, petrified forest, Sedona and the Red Rock area as well as Oak Creek Canyon, Meteor Crater, Several Pueblo villages (Montezuma’s Castle and Montezuma’s Well), all well worth visiting and within a days ride of each other. The high desert of Arizona with its string of old Volcanoes and New Mexico have some stunning scenery. Heres some info on them.
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/...volcanoes.html


Note the name San Francisco Volcanic Field is something of a misnomer as they are actually nowhere near San Francisco!

RM

[Mike_Philippens]

I concur, and then you are close to the Painted Desert, petrified forest, Sedona and the Read Rock area as well as Oak Creek Canyon, Meteor Crater, Several Pueblo villages (MontezumaÔÇÖs Castle and MontezumaÔÇÖs Well), all well worth visiting and within a days ride of each other. The high desert of Arizona with its sting of old Volcanoes and New Mexico have some stunning scenery. Heres some info on them.
http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Volcanoes/...volcanoes.html


Note the name San Francisco Volcanic Field is something of a misnomer as they are actually nowhere near San Francisco!

Looks very nice indeed! I can lay down the route through there, since I only know for sure I want to visit Big Bend in TX and then go to Denver (family visit). The route to Denver can be zigzagging through whatever lies in between... Moab, Utah seems to be something worth while too.

[bennetts]

So glad you started this thread and got so much good feedback. I'm planning on taking a month this summer (mid July - mid August) and seeing what I can see. Once 30 years ago I drove around the country in a car for a summer, but there was a whole lot I missed that I've never filled in, and lots I saw that I want to see again, and of course there's the bike vs car thing that makes it all worth doing anyway. Lots of great tips you're getting, that I'm already trying to factor into my planning.

I live on the east coast (Baltimore) and can and do travel regionally, so my thinking is to spend almost all of my time west of the Mississippi this trip...a couple of long boring days on the interstate will be worth it in meandering time later. Now I'm going to read through all this very carefully with a notebook and see what I can piece together.

But back to the purpose of this thread which is YOUR trip, I will second what some have said about the Grand Canyon belonging on a don't miss list. And while I was born and raised on Long Island, and summered in the Hamptons a few years, I'd second the votes you've heard for Cape Cod instead, if the routing makes sense. (up the hudson valley then pick a place to turn east, random stops in iconic small new england towns to some of the most beautiful beach and tasty fresh seafood in reach). I went to university in new hampshire, and used my 30th reunion this past summer as an excuse to go back up on my bike and remind myself how beautiful it is all through new england. very different from what you'll see further west (the eastern mountains are much smaller, the distances much shorter) but still and all well worth a visit.

as for the camp/motel dilemma, I like to have a tent and sleeping bag with me, without bothering with all the other gear. I'm happy if i can skip a hotel bill and often enjoy the random meetings and conversations that happen in campgrounds, then let someone else in a restaurant cook and clean up after rather than messing with that part of the 'camping' experience. not for all the time, but whenever possible, it works for me. (and 1. the gear is so light it can ride atop my duffel without feeling overloaded and 2. since you mentioned the critters, I've found mostly they're interested in your food, so if you're not carrying supplies, you're less attractive and they'll go find someone who is)

have fun with the planning, and all you others, keep those tips coming (selfishly I say, especially in the western states!)

[Mike_Philippens]

I'm discovering new places every day. Downside is that I've got to make some hard decissions about where to go en what to skip. Three months isn't enough to see everything and the object was to take the time to take a proper look around the country. So I might have to put some interstate stretches in between. But where? Every state I cross is bound to have beautiful places and stunning scenery.

I'll just draw the route on my bit US map and mark the 'must see' places and try to figure out a decent route in between. A good balance between long boring stretches of interstate and twisties. Well...a day on the interstat will get me at least 800km's so I guess I'm allright. Maybe I'll have to dive into California after all... I was going to skip it because of the length of the journey. I'll have to make up my mind...

[Mike_Philippens]

I hope that the 2012 International MOA Rally will be somewhere near my route. It would be awesome to be at such an event. I've been to the BMW Motorrad Days in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Bavaria, Germany) a couple of times now and it's great to see so many BMW enthousiast together.

When do they announce where the next rally is going to be?

[Luckies]

Hi Mike!

I'm from Austria and plan the "same" trip like you. But i have only 10 weeks to cross the USA from east to west and back. All i have at the moment is a drawing of the route how it might could be and some email conversations about shipping my bike from Europe to the USA.

This was my first drawing, maybe it's helpful: Google Maps

At the moment i think about June/July for our trip. As i know yet, the MOA Rallye will be in mid of July (19th??) somewhere near the center (have to look into my mails for details).

Sorry, i'm less of time. It would be nice to talk to you later.

[Mike_Philippens]

I'm from Austria and plan the "same" trip like you. But i have only 10 weeks to cross the USA from east to west and back.

David,

It looks like a nice route, but have you looked at how much driving you'll have to do for that distance? It's more than 15.000km in 70 days (60 days if you plan 1 resting day every week). My (preliminary) route is just under 20.000km and I have 90 days. It's not impossible, but it takes away some days to take a good look at things. And while the object of a motorcycle holiday is the trip, it's also nice to take some time here and there.

You can make it work when you plan enough stretches of Interstate in between the 'must see' places. I want to minimize that and also take some backroads in certain areas. In the end it's all about choices...